


The Resort World

by Chanonvic



Category: Marvel (Comics), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Thor (Movies)
Genre: Established Relationship, F/M, Kissing, Light Angst, Like a sprinkling of angst for flavor, Offworld date, References to Canon, References to the comics
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-17
Updated: 2020-08-17
Packaged: 2021-03-05 23:55:20
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,497
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25933996
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Chanonvic/pseuds/Chanonvic
Summary: Thor delighted in showing her the splendor of the universe, clearly, and she was sure that intrigue was what had attracted him to her. But what happened when that fascination ran out, when Jane stopped being interesting? What about when Jane wasn’t young and new anymore? What about when she –?
Relationships: Jane Foster/Thor
Kudos: 4
Collections: Summer Multifandom Rarepair Bingo





	The Resort World

**Author's Note:**

> Summer Multifandom Rarepair Bingo prompt: tropical fantasy. By which I took to mean a magical, off-world date.
> 
> I coerced antivigilante into beta-ing this.

Jane checked her wristwatch – she only had to wait another five minutes. It was enough time for her to second-guess her outfit choice. She had only been warned to dress for warm weather, so she had decided on a sundress and espadrilles and hoped for the best. She wore her hair loose and wavy and prayed that wherever Thor was taking her, it wasn't too humid or windy. In a split-second decision, she grabbed the first hair tie she saw – a black band sitting on her coffee table – and put it on her wrist, just in case.

The flash of light outside her apartment window interrupted her internal conflict over whether she had time to switch sunglasses. She practically skipped to the door just as the telltale gentle knock came, and she threw it open with a wide smile. Her eyes raked over the god standing in her doorway, though he looked far more mortal then than usual. He had his hair slicked back into a ponytail and was wearing a black muscle shirt with a denim jacket and jeans, something Jane was sure was a fashion crime but _damn_ did it look good on him.

"Jane," he greeted through a grin of his own, sounding simultaneously relieved and excited. He didn't wait to be invited in, just scooped her up into a big, warm embrace before leaning back to kiss her deeply.

Jane, of course, melted a little. She sighed gently when they pulled apart, and her eyes fluttered open. "I take it you missed me," she said.

"Always," he replied, and his eyes shone. He quickly looked her up and down. "Are you ready to go?"

Jane did a cursory sweep of her apartment, mentally checking that she wasn't forgetting anything. "Yup," she said after a moment, and she stepped out into the hallway to close and lock the door. "You know, you never said where you were taking me."

"That's because it's a surprise," Thor replied, and the way he said it made Jane think that he meant more than just a fancy new restaurant or Broadway show. Indeed, he reverently held up the umbrella he'd been holding and wrapped his free arm around Jane's waist. "Hold on to me."

And that was her only warning. A split second later, the umbrella transformed into the legendary Mjolnir, and pure energy surrounded them, pricking at Jane's skin and making her feel like she was swimming through a substance lighter than water but heavier than air. 

Finally, they stopped. The sudden weight of gravity and the sensation of having a firm ground beneath her again made her knees buckle, and she doubled over to catch her breath. Despite having known Thor for over a year at this point, she was still unaccustomed to near-lightspeed travel, and she doubted she ever would be. It was a miracle, her logic brain reasoned, that her body could withstand the high velocity and strong forces necessary to achieve it to begin with, but her quivering stomach just couldn't agree. She took in deep gulps of air and eventually righted herself, though her heart was still thudding.

"Sorry," Thor said through a pained expression. "I know it's still a lot for humans to adjust to." He tentatively rested a hand on her shoulder, and the warmth of it and sincerity in his words made Jane feel leagues better.

So much better, in fact, that she cast her eyes around to take in where they were. They were standing on a road between a large town on a hill and an expanse of wilds. Even if they hadn't traveled via Bifrost, Jane would've known they weren't on Earth anymore with just a glance at the flora surrounding them. The trees were too tall and old, the flowers too large and bright. As she watched, a breeze picked up some of the pollen, creating a shimmering haze in the sky and lofting a sweet, intoxicating aroma toward her. In the distance was the buzz of birds and insects she'd never heard before.

"Welcome to –” Thor said, speaking a word she couldn't comprehend. He scratched his chin, then added, "I think it'd be translated to 'Resort World.'" His eyebrows furrowed. "It sounds much better in Allspeak, trust me."

Jane chuckled, then looped her arm through his. "I'll take your word for it," she said. "'Resort World,' huh? Is that the resort, then?" She nodded toward the town, and they began walking toward it.

"One and the same."

They walked into the town, and Jane marveled at the pristine infrastructure – white and gold and silver and marble and bronze everywhere, loops and arches and spirals and nearly impossible shapes decorating the buildings. There were also beings of all persuasions walking around, a few humanoid ones but also creatures elven and anthropomorphic and giant alike. Those who didn't walk rode self-propelling carriages or hovercraft, a combination that Jane found amusingly contradictory. 

Thor was significantly less impressed, barely pausing in his gait as he led Jane to a booth that resembled a box office. "Thor, checking in for two," he said to the elven assistant.

The clerk said something back and slid two pins through the window slot. She fastened hers to her dress and could suddenly understand the clerk. "Make sure to wear these at all times to gain access to the resort's various venues,” he continued. “I've been instructed to direct you to Madam Ayelah."

Thor didn’t exactly look eager for this appointment. "Fine, show us the way."

The assistant nodded and pushed a button, and the pair of doors next to his booth opened for them. "Take the elevator to the top floor."

When they were in the privacy of the glass elevator just beyond the double doors, Jane leaned into him and asked, "Who's Ayelah? And why does she want to see you?"

"She was a representative of Alfheim -- the realm of the Light Elves," he added for Jane's sake. "Now she's a businesswoman in charge of one of the most spectacular resorts in the Nine Realms. As for what she wants for me, well, it's not every day that the Prince of Asgard walks onto your planet, is it?" And Thor winked at her.

Jane rolled her eyes but couldn't help smiling as she gazed through the transparent walls of the elevator. From how high up they already were, she could see the whole town, the ring of forest surrounding it, and the band of sandy beaches beyond that. The glittering water even further out reflected the pink sky.

The elevator doors opened into a vast office suite, and as soon as the couple stepped through a womanly figure rose from her seat on a loveseat to greet them. "Ah, Son of Odin, welcome," she said through a pleasant smile. The woman had blue skin and was slight and taller than Jane. She practically danced over to them, so light was she on her feet, and inclined her head reverently.

"Ayelah," Thor replied. "Good to see you again."

"I'm sure you're wondering why I requested your presence. Well, it's just not everyday that the Prince of Asgard steps foot onto your planet, you know?"

Thor exchanged an amused look with Jane. "Sure," he said through a smirk.

"To that end, I want to make sure that your stay here is as pleasurable as possible." She held out a hand, and a few dots of light gathered in her palm, materializing into what looked like keycards. "I've taken the liberty of upgrading your accommodations. I hope that one bedroom will suffice for you and your companion." She gave Jane a coy smile, and the Earthling blushed in response. "But if your needs change, don't hesitate to let me know. And, of course, the entire island is open to you."

Thor thanked the elf as she handed over the badges, and soon the couple was off again. They walked the streets, taking in the sights on their way to the hotel Ayelah had gifted them access to. "Ooh, they have a bathhouse in a natural hot spring!" Jane said enthusiastically, her nose buried in the brochure she got from a street vendor.

Thor wrinkled his nose a bit. "Don't they have hot springs on Earth?" he asked rhetorically.

"Yeah, but those don't have 'magical rejuvenating waters,'" she replied, shaking the folded paper for emphasis. 

He chuckled. "Fair enough. What else do they have?"

Jane hesitated – he had to know what the resort world offered already, but why would he ask? – but she took the invitation to keep listing attractions and points of interest. "And we _have_ to see their observatory. Do you think they'd let me make a star chart?" She added in a mumble to herself, then shook her head. "Never mind, that's stupid, it'd take way too long." And she waved her hand dismissively.

Thor grabbed it and squeezed gently. "It's _not_ stupid, and I think I have a shortcut." He leaned down a bit to murmur in her ear, "It'll be a surprise for later."

Jane blushed and absently wondered if she'd develop a permanent one with how often she was doing it. "W-what about you?" she asked to distract herself. "What do you want to do?"

He stroked his beard. "Well, we have those reservations for dinner soon. And then there's the midnight show. But all the time in between is for taking you sightseeing." 

Jane blinked up at him, mildly shocked to hear the semblance of an itinerary. It dawned on her how much planning the god had put into their outing. She couldn't quite remember the last time someone put in that much thought into the time they spent with her, especially on dates. Even her old and longest flame Don Blake was often distracted by work when they were together, and Darcy had come close during that period of time she spent distracting Jane from that subsequent break-up, but the girl was just too given to spontaneity. A small but devious smile crept to her lips. "Okay," she said in a sing-song voice, "I hope you know what you're signing up for."

* * *

Thor _thought_ he knew what he was signing up for. After dinner, they did some light shopping, with Jane picking up trinkets and souvenirs that he could tell she was itching to take apart. At first, she was apprehensive about spending his money, especially since she didn't understand the denominations, but a quick scan of her badge revealed her own cache of cash, and she bought everything with reckless abandon. He didn't have the heart to tell her that most of them were children's toys, especially since he figured that she'd be just as excited about it. After dropping the items off at the complimentary hotel room (Thor still couldn't believe Ayelah's generosity and wondered what she'd ask for in return later), the couple hopped on to a wildlife tour, though they wandered off after Jane decided she hadn't worn the right shoes for a jungle trek. 

"I'll carry you," Thor told her sincerely, but she merely scoffed at the idea and insisted they walk the boardwalk instead.

They started chatting -- well, Jane was chatting, and he just listened to her voice, studied the cadence of her speech, watched the way her lips formed around the words. It was funny, he used to balk at such talk from Fandral, but now such sentiments inspired in him a...tranquility. Where he thought it'd soften him, Jane's affection actually sharpened him, so focused was he on protecting and supporting and learning from her. He laughed inwardly; the others would never believe those thoughts could come from him.

Unfortunately, being wrapped up in these musings meant that he was missing the actual _meaning_ in Jane's words, so when she cocked her head to the side and fell silent, he was still smiling stupidly. "Huh?" he uttered, shook from his reverie. 

Jane pouted and put her hands on her hips. "You weren't paying attention, were you? I was asking if we should visit one of these gift shops. Your Earth wardrobe could use some expanding." Her eyes flicked down, quickly taking in his body, surely. Something dark shone in those eyes, and though brief, Thor caught it and loved it.

Ignoring her question once again, he stepped into her space and wrapped an arm around her waist. With his other hand, he cupped her face and angled it up, and before she could ask him what he was doing (quite rhetorically, he hoped), he kissed her. Jane gasped, then all but melted into him. He didn't know how long they stayed like that, but eventually Jane's hand gently pushed against his chest, and he let her go. 

"W-we should get going," she said breathlessly. Then, she cleared her throat and straightened an imaginary wrinkle from her dress as she stepped back. Thor chuckled at how flustered she was and slowly slid his arm from around her waist so he could resume holding her hand. "I decided for us, we're going to the gift shop."

Unsurprisingly, they found very few garments that could pass for Earth clothing, at least not in modern-day New York City, but a few casual shirts were worth the buy. Although what made the trip completely worth it was seeing Jane in a cream-colored wrap dress he coaxed her to try on. He drank her in as she twirled in it a little, and when their eyes met, she blushed and said, "I'll get it, but it's only for special occasions."

By the time they made it to the other end of the boardwalk, dusk was settling in, and the stars began peeking through. Remembering Jane's desire to see the stars, Thor hurried them along the boardwalk toward the observatory. The ceiling magnified the night sky so that all the visitors had an equally magnificent view. Jane floated around, pointing to different constellations and nebulae. "I don't recognize any of it," she said excitedly. "That one is Polaris, which should make all of these Ursa Minor, but they're all out of place." She clapped her hands. "Amazing!"

Her excitement practically doubled when Thor, true to his word, showed her a star chart shortcut – in other words, using one of the observatory's scanners to print one. Her fascination with the stars and forces of the universe amused him, all the more so when he thought of the irony – Jane spent so much of her time looking skyward and never realized that there were entire _galaxies_ in her eyes. Thor wondered what she would say, what expression would cross her face, if she could see them all. The thought triggered a pang in his chest; if even he was bound by the laws of physics, then what hope did Jane have of traveling that far? He felt the flush of panic prick at his skin as it usually did when he was reminded of Jane’s mortality, and his chest constricted. He glanced at her again: she had her lips pursed in a scowl of concentration, and the sight made Thor want to anoint Jane with godhood on the spot. And then he blinked, and the panic faded to a jittery mess of anxiety that piqued at the absurdity of what he’d just thought. Jane and godhood? Impossible. Thor sighed and forced his thoughts to settle on the logical, the feasible; he would stay around for as long as Jane would have him. That would have to do.

Thor shook himself free from the surprisingly heavy thoughts and noticed the time. "Come on," he said, tugging Jane gently away from the telescope she had commandeered. "It's almost time."

Instead of heading back to the city, they continued along the boardwalk, then along the beach. When they stepped onto the sand, Jane's face betrayed her confusion, but she didn't say anything.

Eventually, they curved around the island to its opposite side and finally came into view of the large amphitheater, its brilliant lights waving and illuminating the horizon. Just ahead of them were other pairs and groups of people approaching the entrance, and as they neared, they could hear the low hum of waiting music.

"Who's Meggan Puceanu?" Jane asked, scrutinizing the giant backlit banner displaying said performer, a curvaceous blonde in a shimmering green suit.

"Hm, I think she's an Earthling, actually," Thor replied, cocking his head to the side as he tried to place the familiar face.

He enjoyed making a show of waving their exclusive tickets at the entrance, and beamed as they were led to the private booth he'd rented for them. When the usher left, Thor made a beeline for the small bar to pour them a spiced drink he was positive Jane had never tried.

"Cheers," she said, clinking his glass with hers before sipping her drink experimentally. "Mmm," she muttered appreciatively, looking at the liquid in her glass like she could understand its ingredients if she stared at it long enough. Thor felt his face go warm, and it had nothing to do with the alcohol. Leave it to Jane to approach something so simple as her boyfriend getting her drunk like a science experiment.

Soon enough, the amphitheater went dark, and from their VIP section they could hear the audience below hush to a murmur until a ring of light sparked to life on the stage below. Suddenly, a streak of gold shot up into the sky, and the crowd roared in applause. The streak was actually a woman, the famed Meggan, and she was trailing the light as she flew around the theater. 

After a few laps, Meggan was joined by several smaller flying creatures – fairies, Thor confirmed to himself when one flew close enough to their booth – each with their own colored streak. They zipped around each other to form dazzling configurations, much to the delight of their spectators. They did several dances and aerial routines, and the show concluded in an explosion of sparks. 

"Fairies," Jane said, bemused and shaking her head as they walked back to the city. "Even after everything I've seen, I never would've thought...."

* * *

Jane clutched her bags closer to them as she walked down the hallway back to her apartment. Being back in the mundane New York City building made the entire evening seem like a long fever dream, but the evidence of its reality was in her arms. They were both silent, unwilling to break the hush of the small hours of the morning, until they made it to her door. She unlocked her door and opened it slightly but hesitated to go inside.

"So, I –" she started.

"Can we –?" Thor began. He smiled and said, "You first."

"I was just gonna thank you for taking me out today," she said with a sweet smile. "I still can't believe everything we did."

Thor's smile turned into a smirk, and he leaned in while bracing himself against the doorframe. "Stick around, I've got so much more to show you."

Jane shuddered hearing his low voice. She started when she felt his lips on her cheek. "Looking forward to it," she managed to say before Thor pulled away. They exchanged a whispered "good night," and soon the Asgardian prince was walking back down the hallway. She watched him go, the sensation of his skin on hers already fading. When he was gone, Jane closed her door and leaned against it, her mind still racing from all of the day's activity. She sniffed a laugh as she thought of how she’d describe everything to Darcy the following morning. She could already imagine her friend’s incredulous reaction to the resort. For a fleeting moment, Jane wondered if that’s what she had unwittingly signed up for by dating Thor – the part-amused, part-terrified responses from her friends, the otherworldly dates that she’d never be able to revisit or even remember properly. She clutched her bags a little tighter, as if clinging to proof that the date _had_ happened and wasn’t some elaborate fairy-tale hallucination brought on by work-exhaustion. 

And then her mind swung in the opposite direction. Thor delighted in showing her the splendor of the universe, clearly, and she was sure that intrigue was what had attracted him to her. But what happened when that fascination ran out, when Jane stopped being interesting? What about when Jane wasn’t young and _new_ anymore? What about when she –?

Jane screwed her eyes shut to silence the pessimistic thoughts. Thor wasn’t going to just dump her because he was bored; he wasn’t a toddler, and she wasn’t a toy. She repeated this mentally until she believed it and opened her eyes. Her gaze landed on the bag containing the dress she bought from that one boutique, and she remembered the way Thor had drunk her in when she tried it on. She smiled gently, relief and affection spreading through her. Yes, she and Thor would be just fine despite the odds.

**Author's Note:**

> Ayelah is/was a representative of Alfheim; here, she's retired as a businesswoman.
> 
> Meggan Puceanu is indeed an Earthling -- the mutant known as _Gloriana_ , and wife of Brian Braddock/Captain Britain (Betsy Braddock/Psylocke's twin brother).
> 
> Fun fact: in _The Mighty Thor_ comics, Jane has to undergo some trials to ascend to godhood so she can stay with Thor. She fails, and they're forced apart. I dare the MCU to include that in their canon.


End file.
